Another MP godman held for raping woman

Just days after the Asaram Bapu scandal rocked the nation, another self-styled godman in Madhya Pradesh is in the dock.

On Tuesday, police arrested 65-year-old Mahendra Giri alias Tunnu Baba for illegally confining and raping a 24-yearold woman at his ashram in Neelkanth village of Sehore district for over four months.

The victim’s husband and mother-inlaw, who also lived at the ashram, assisted Giri in the crime.

Manu and her son Vishram Banjara lived with Giri. Banjara got married to a woman from Khategaon on May 3. Soon after, Giri started sexually assaulting Banjara’s wife.

The victim said she would be beaten up and abused by all three if she opposed the treatment meted out to her.

On August 30, when the woman’s younger sister tried to meet her, she faced resistance from Banjara and her mother. Suspecting foul play, the sister approached Nasrullaganj police and lodged a complaint.

Subsequently, the police raided Giri’s ashram and recovered the woman. The police have registered a case against Giri under Sections 376(d), 342 and 506 of IPC and he has been arrested along with the victim’s husband and mother-in-law.